Parañaque ‘landport’ opens by Nov. 5

THE PARAÑAQUE Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), awarded to Megawide-Waltermart (MWM) Terminals Inc., is set to open on Nov. 5, the Department of Transportation announced on Thursday. “Handa na po kaming buksan ang kauna-unahan nating landport (We are ready to open our first ‘landport’),” DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said in a statement, describing the land transport terminal as one with facilities and services like an airport. “This is not just your ordinary terminal, but a landmark transportation hub.” According to DOTr, the PITX has a maximum daily capacity of 100,000 passengers, with trips per day at approximately 1,060 arrivals and 949 departures. It will have 59 bays for provincial and city buses, 49 for UV express and jeepneys, and 852 car parking slots. It will also house a centralized shopping center. The project is expected to reduce the number of buses plying Metro Manila, particularly along Taft Avenue in Pasay and EDSA. The 4.59-hectare terminal was awarded to Megawide under a build-transfer-operate public-private partnership contract with a concession period of 35 years. The DOTr negotiated for the removal of the annual grantor’s fee amounting to P100 million for the whole concession period. The negotiation helped save the government P3.5 billion, the DOTr said. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio